Type-writing machine.



PATENTBD APR. 18, 1905.

C. S. LABOPISH.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED 0014,1901.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

- INVENTEIR fi lbd i jfirzfn 'a l,

HIE ATTEIRNEY PATBNTED APR. 18, 1905.

C. S. LABOFISH.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

APPLIGATIVON FILED OCT. 4, 1901.-

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNEEEEE.

PATENTED APR. 18, 1905.

C. S. LABQPISH. TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 0013.4. 1901.

s SHEETS-SHEET s.

Illlllm u 7-5mm WITNEEEE 15 Mama Patented April 18, 1905.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES S. LABOFISH, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, AS- SIGNOR TO UNION TYPEIVRITER COMPANY, OF JERSEY CITY, NEI V JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEWV JERSEY.

TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 787,772, dated April 18, 1905.

' Application filed October 4, 1901. Serial No. 77,562.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLEs S. LAROFISH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Type-VVritin g Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to mechanism for antomatically counting and indicating the number of Written lines on a pagein type-writing machines and for automatically locking the platen against rotation when a predetermined number of lines have been written, so that the operator cannot continue to write after the bottom of a page has passed the printing point or line and so that it may be at all times ascertained how many lines have been sists in the novel arrangement and combina-= tions of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein like referencenumerals indicate corresponding parts in the various views, Figure l is a plan view of sufficient number of parts of a typewriting machine to illustrate my invention. Fig. 2 is a side or end view of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view through the center of the platen, the section being taken on the line a a: of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is. a detail fragmentary end view of the platen and platen-frame. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the indicating-casing. Fig. 6 isaperspective detail view of the sliding block forming part of the indicating and locking mechanism.

In the various views parts are omitted and broken away to better illustrate other parts of the structure.

Upon reference to Fig. 2 of the drawings. 1 indicates the main framing of the machine,

in which the key-levers 2 are pivoted at 3, and

each key-lever is provided with a finger-key 4: and has connected thereto at 5 an actuatinglink 6, that is connected at 7 to an actuatinglever 8, which in turn is operativel y connected to a type bar or carrier 9. Each key-lever 2 is likewise provided with an abutment or hook 10, that cooperates with a universal bar 11, pivoted at 12 to the framing 1 of the machine. The universal bar is connected at 13 to a link 14, which in turn is pivoted to a link 15, that is operatively connected to the feed-dog carrier 16, which has mounted thereon the feeddogs 17. The feed-dogs cooperate with a feedrack 18, carried by or forming part of a yoke 19, that moves upon a traverse-rod 20 and is connected to a carriage 21 to move from end to end of the machine therewith. This carriage carries a relatively movable-or swinging platen-frame 22, in which the platen 23 is mounted to revolve.

It should be understood that the parts thus far described may be of any suitable construction and that they form no necessary part of my present invention.

The platen, platen-frame, and carriage may be of the usual or any preferred construction, though the general type of platen and carriage of the Densmore machine is illustrated in the drawings. In the present instance the platen has secured at the right-hand end thereof a ratchet-wheel 24, which has thirty teeth, so that a step-by-step rotation of the ratchetwheel through these thirty teeth will cause one complete rotation of the platen. A suitable hand operated line-spacing lever 25 is pivoted at 26 to the platen-frame and has pivoted thereto at 27 a spring-pressed line-space pawl 28, that cooperates with the ratchetwheel 24; to produce the line-feed of the platen. A lingerpiece 29 may be employed that is connected to a rock-shaft 30, which carries a wiper-finger 31, that cooperates with the pawl 28 to vary the throw of the pawl, and thus regulate the amount of intermittent rotation transmitted to the platen for, say, half or single line spacing and full or double line spacing. For half or single line spacing the platen will be rotated the extent of one tooth of the ratchet-wheel, thereby giving thirty linespace movements of the platen for each complete rotation of the platen. For full or double line spacing each depression of the spacing-lever will rotate the platen a distance corresponding to two teeth of the ratchetwheel, thereby giving fifteen line-spacing movements for each complete rotation of the platen.

Upon reference to Fig. 3 it will be seen that a platen-rod 32 is secured at 33 to a platenhead 3 T, which is secured by screws 35 to the core 36 of the platen 23. The left-hand end of the platen-rod is extended and terminates in a hand-wheel 37 that has formed thereon a circumferential shoulder 38, which is movably seated within the outer end of a cylindrical casing or guide 39 and tends to support the outer end thereof. This casing is shown in detail in Fig. 5, from which it will be seen that the casing is slotted at $0 and is provided with projecting ears k1, by means of which the casing may be secured by screws 4:2 to the platen-frame 22. On the casing 39 adjacent to the elongated slot 40 therein are two scales or indiees 43 and 44, one of which corresponds to single-line spacing and the other to doubleline spacing. Thus the front index 43 is marked off into divisions and with indices which correspond to the thirty teeth of the ratchet-wheel or the number of single-line feed movements of the platen during a single revolution thereof. On the other hand, the rear scale or index M is marked off into divisions and with indices which correspond to the number of double-line feed movements of the platen duringasingle revolution thereo'f .one movement for every two teeth of the ratchet-wheel 2 L. Cooperating with the scales 43 and 44 is a slide, the spindle of which passes freely through a slide-block L6, which is shown in detail in Fig. 6. This block has flattened sides at, that cooperate with the side walls of the slot 40 in the casing 39 and prevent the block from turning in the slot, whereas the flange M5 on the block tends to prevent it from being displaced from the slot. The outer end of the spindle 45 of the slide is provided with a linger-piece or head 49, whereas the lower end of the spindle has an enlarged portion 50, which has a diameter that corresponds substantially to the width of the spiral groove 51 in the cam or Worm 52, that is connected to the platen-rod 32, so as to rotate with the platen. The pitch of the worm or internal cam is such that a complete feed movementof the slide, with its block l6, from one end to the other of the scales takes place for a complete rotation of the platen. In other words, a complete rotation of the platen in the direction of its line-feed Will move the slide and the block 46 in the direction of the arrow from the position shown in Fig. 3 to the inner end of slot 40 in the casing, where they will be arrested by the end wall of the slot,

and the slide and block being unable to move farther in this direction will automatically lock the platen against further rotation in the direction of its line-feed. During this movement of the slide and block they automatically indicate the number of lines which have been written or which may be written before the platen is locked. Thus the indieating-marks of the slide-block will register with the different indices on the scales as it is automatically moved along in the rotation of the platen. hen the slideand block have been moved to the inner end of the slot etO in the manner described, they may be re stored to the normal position by lirst raising the slide up in the slide-block or at right angles to its sliding movement, when the lower end or enlargement 50 of the slide will be withdrawn from the spiral groove 51, where it is normally maintained by an expansionspring 45*, which surrounds the spindle of the slide and bears at one end against the sliding block et6 and at the other end against the enlargement 50 of the slide. The slide having been withdrawn from the groove in the manner described, it may be moved, with the block 46, along the slot back to the initial position, near the opposite end thereof. The linger-piece or head may then be released, and the spring 45 will force the slide into the groove 51, as indicated in Fig. 3, and the parts will again be operatively connected. Should the operator desire to dispense with the line-feed lock and indicator or to throw the same out of operation, it is merely necessary to withdraw the slide from the groove 51 and move the slide and block outwardly along the slot until the enlargement 50 is beyond the outer end of the worm 52, when the parts will remain disconnected and the platen is free to be rotated without transmitting movement to the slide. Then again it will be observed that while the slide, when it reaches the limit of its movement in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 3, automatically locks the platen against rotation in a forward direction it is nevertlmless at all times free to move in an opposite direction, so that the platen is at all times free to be rotated in a direction opposite its forward or line-feed movement, and that the paper may be withdrawn at any time backward, and that the effect of such withdrawal is to efi'ect a backward rotation of the platen, which effects an automatic movement of the slide to its initial position.

It will be understood that any suitable number of scales may be employed. for cooperation with the slide and that the order of the indices may be reversed or the scales otherwise changed.

It will be observed that the device will accommodate itself to different lengths of paper and can be arranged to lock the platen against line-feed at any predetermined line or after any predetermined number of lines have passed the printing-point by simply withdrawing the slide from its groove and setting it with the block at the proper point on the scale. Thus, for instance, if the platen is regulated to be rotated the distance of a single tooth of the ratchet at each operation of the line-spacing lever and the operator desires to lock the platen after ten lines have been written it is merely necessary to position the slide and block at the numeral 10 on the scale 43. Then when the platen has been turned a distance of ten teeth of the line-spacing ratchet-wheel the slide will have been moved to the inner end of the slot 4L0, and further rotation of the platen will be prevented until a new adjustment has been made.

From certain aspects of my invention the roller or platen may be regarded merely part of a mechanism for feeding the paper for linespacing, and for the purposes of the present invention, when broadly considered, it is immaterial whether the types cooperate with the platen 23 or with some other part acting as a platen or impact surface in making impressions upon the paper. In either case the locking and indicating mechanism would he effective to perform its functions.

It will be seen that the slide acts in the twofold capacity of an indicating and locking slide and that the scales or either of them cooperates with the slide or the indicating-mark thereon not only to determine the proper positioning of the slide, but to form with the slide automatically-operated indicating means, which enable the operator at all times to determine at a glance how many lines have been written and how many lines may be written before the slide is automatically locked to prevent a further line-feed movement of the platen. It should be understood, however, that the indicating mechanism may be employed without the locking feature and that the locking feature may be employed independently of the indicating feature.

Various other changes in the construction and operation of the device may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

WVhat-I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a type-writing machine, the combina tion of line-feed mechanism, automaticallyoperated line-feed-indicating means, means for preventing the feed of the paper by said line-feed mechanism, and means for throwing said indicating means out of operation.

2. In a type-writing machine, the combination of line-feed mechanism, automaticallyoperated line-feed-indicating means, locking means for preventing the feed of the paper by said line-feed mechanism, and means for throwing said locking means out of operation.

3. In a type-writing machine, the combination of line-feed mechanism, automaticallyoperated line-feed-indicating means, locking means for preventing the feed of the paper by said line-feed mechanism, and means for simultaneously throwing indicating and locking means out of operation.

4:. In a type-writing machine, the combina- ,tion of a line-feed mechanism, an automatic lock therefor, means for rendering said lock entirely inoperative at will. and cooperating line-feed-indicating means.

5. Ina type-writing machine, the combination of a line-feeding mechanism including a platen, a locking member which is constructed and arranged to be disconnected from and to be moved longitudinally of the platen to predetermine the point at which the line-feeding mechanism shall be locked, and to be operatively connected to and moved longitudinally of the platen to effect the locking of said feed mechanism, and a line-feed-indicating scale which extends longitudinally of the platen and cooperates with said locking member.

6. In a type-writing machine, the combination with line-feed mechanism, of an automatic lock for preventing the line-feed of the paper by said line-feed mechanism, one member of said lock being a non-rotating reciprocating member and means for throwing the lock out of operation.

7. In a type-writing machine, the combination with line-feed mechanism, of an automatic lock for preventing the line-feed of the paper by said paper-feeding mechanism, one member of said lock being a non-rotating reciprocating member, and means for adjusting said non-rotating member independently of the line-feed mechanism, so to set the lock ing members to lock said line-feed mechanism when a predetermined line or partof the paper reaches the printing-point.

8. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a platen, a platen-actuated lock for arresting the line-feed of the paper, one member of said loch being a non-rotating member which moves in the direction of the length of the platen and is adjustable independently of the means for moving it, and a scale which extends in the direction of the length of the platen and cooperates with the non-rotating member.

9. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a carriage, a platen, an automaticallyoperated line-space-indicating slide that travels with the carriage and may be adjusted independently of the means for effecting its antomatic movement, and an index or scale carried by the carriage and extending longitudinally of the platen and which cooperates with the slide.

10. Inatype-writing machine, the eombination of a platen, a line-space indicating and locking slide cooperating with said platen, means cooperating with the slide to prevent the rotation of the platen after a predetermined number of line-space movements thereof, and a relatively fixed line-space index TIO cooperating with the slide and extending in the direction of the movement thereof, and means that afford an adjustment of the slide independently of the platen.

11. In atype-writing machine, the combination of a platen, a line-spaee-lockingslide 00- operating with said platen, means cooperating with the slide to prevent the rotation of the platen after a predetermined number of linespace movements thereof, a line-space index cooperating with the slide and means for throwing said slide out of operation.

12. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a platen, a worm which is rotated by said platen, a slide which is moved by said worm and is adapted to be moved out of cooperation therewith and means which cooperate with the slide to lock the platen against rotation.

13. In a type-w riting machine, the com bination of a platen, a worm, which is rotated by said platen, a slide which is moved by said worm, means which cooperate with the slide to lock the platen against rotation, an index with which the slide cooperates and means for moving said slide out of engagement with the worm.

14:. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a platen, a worm which is connected to and rotates with said platen, a slide which is moved by said worm and a slotted casing in which said slide moves and which cooperates with the slide to lock the platen against rotation.

15. In a type-writing machine, the com bination of a platen, a worm which is connected to and rotates with said platen, a slide which is moved by said worm, a slotted casing in which said slide moves and which cooperates with the slide to lock the platen against rotation, an index with which the slide cooperates and means for moving said slide out of engagement with the worm.

16. In a type-writing machine, the combina tion of a platen, a worm which is connected to and rotates with said platen, a slide which is moved by said worm, a spring for maintaining the slide in engagement with the worm and means for moving the slide against the tension of the springto disengage it from the said worm.

17. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a platen, a worm which is connected to and rotates with said platen, a combined indieating and locking slide which is moved by said worm, a spring for maintaining the slide in engagement with the worm, means for moving the slide against the tension of its spring to disengage it from the said worm, and an index with which the slide cooperates.

18. In a type-writingmachine, the combination of a platen, a worm which is connected to and rotates with said platen, a combined indicating and locking slide which is moved by said worm, a spring for maintaining the slide in engagement with the worm, means for moving the slide against the tension of its spring to disengage it from the said worm an index and locking means which cooperate with the slide to provide a line-spacing indicator and locking means to automatically lock the platen against rotation after a predetermined number of line-space movements.

19. In atype-writing machine, the combination of a platen and a slide which is adapted to be operatively connected to said platen, said slide having two movements one at right angles to the other, the one a feed movement and the other an engaging or disengaging movement.

20. In a type-writing machine, the com bi nation of a platen, a movable cain controlled by said platen, a combined line-space indicator and platen-lock controlled by said cam, a relatively fixed scale-index that extends in the direction of movement of and with which said combined line-space indicator and plateirloclt cooperate, and means for affording a disconnection between said cam and the combined indicator and lock.

21. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a platen, a cam secured to the platenrod, a slide controlled by said cam, a relatively fixed guidein which slide moves, and an index which cooperates with the slide.

22. In atype-writing machine, the combination of a platen, a cam secured to the platenrod, a slide controlled by said cam, a relatively fixed guide in which said slide moves and a locking element which cooperates with the slide to limit the number of line-space movements of the platen.

23. Ina ty pe-writing machine, the combina tion of a platen, a cam secured to the platenrod, a combined locking and indicating slide controlled by said cam, a relatively fixed guide in which said slide moves, an index which cooperates with said slide and a locking element which cooperates with the slide to limit the number of line-space movements of the platen.

2a. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a platen, a movable cam controlled by said platen, a platen-lock controlled by said cam and hand-operated means for throwing the platen-lock out of operation.

25. Ina type-writing machine, the combination of a platen, a cam secured to the platenrod, a combined locking and indicating slide controlled by said cam, a relatively fixed guide in which said slide moves, an index which eooperates with said slide, a locking element which cooperates with the slide to limit the number of line-space movements of the platen and hand-operated means for tl'irowing the slide out of cooperation with said cam.

26. In a type-writing machine, the combination of line-feeding mechanism, means for regulating said feeding mechanism to feed any one of a plurality of extents of feed at each operation and indicating means which cooperate with the feed mechanism to properly indicate the number of lines written or to be Written on the sheet irrespective of its extent of feed at each operation.

27. In atype-writing machine, the combination of line-feeding mechanism, means for regulating said feeding mechanism to feed any one of a plurality of extents of feed at each operation, separate sets of indicating means which cooperate with the feed mechanism irrespective of its extent of feed and means for automatically locking the feeding mechanism against movement.

28. In atype-writing machine, the combination of line-feeding mechanism, means for regulating said feeding mechanism to feed any one of a plurality of extents of feed at each operation, indicating means which cooperate with the feed mechanism to properly indicate the number of lines spaced'on a sheet irrespective of the extent of line-feed at each operation and adjustable locking means that may be connected to or disconnected from the feeding mechanism to set the parts to automatically lock the feeding mechanism against movement when a predetermined line or part of the paper has reached the printing-point.

29. In a type-writing machine, the combination of line feeding mechanism, means for regulating said feeding mechanism to feed any one of a plurality of extents of feed at each operation, an automatically operated indicating member and a plurality of indexes which cooperate with the indicating member, one index being employed for each extent of feed of the line-feeding mechanism.

30. In a type-Writing machine, the combination of line-feeding mechanism, means for regulating said line-feeding mechanism to feed any one of a plurality of extents at each operation, a slide that may be operatively connected to the line-feeding mechanism or may be disconnected therefrom to set the slide, and indicating means cooperating with said slide to properly indicate the number of lines written or to be written irrespective of the extent of feed at each operation.

31. In atype-writing maehine,the combination of line-feeding mechanism, means for regulating said line-feeding mechanism to feed any one of a plurality of extents at each operation, a combined indicating and locking slide that may be operatively connected to the lineifceding mechanism or may be disconnected therefrom to set the slide, indicating means cooperating with said slide to properly indicate the number of lines written or to be writ ten irrespective of the extent of feed at each operation, and a locking member that cooperates with said slide to automatically lock the line-feeding mechanism at a predetermined point, determined by the setting of said slide.

32. In atype-writing machine,the combination of a platen, means for effecting line-feed movements of the platen, and means which are operative for locking the platen against a forward feed movement at a predetermined point in the line-feed thereof but which are at all times inoperative to prevent a reverse movement of the platen.

33. In a type-writing machine,the combination of a platen, means for elfeeting line-feed movements of the platen, and a locking-slide controlled by the platen and which is adapted to lock the platen against rotation in one direction when the slide reaches the limit of movement in one direction but which is at all times free to move in an opposite direction, to at all times afford a reverse rotation of the platen.

34. In a type-writing maehine,the combination of a rotating platen, a locking-slide operatively connected to the platen to be moved thereby during a rotation of the platen in either direction and means cooperating with the slide to arrest its movement in one direction but to at all times afford a free movement of the slide in an opposite direction,whereby the platen may be automatically locked at a predetermined point in its forward feed but is at all times free to rotate in an opposite direction.

35. In a type-Writing machine,the combination of a rotating platen, a locking-slide operatively connected to the platen to be moved thereby during a rotation of the platen in either direction, means cooperating with the slide to arrest its movement in one direction but to at all times aflord a free movement of the slide in an opposite direction,w hereby the platen may be automatically locked at a predetermined point in its forward feed but is at all times free to rotate in an opposite direction, and line-indicating means cooperating with said slide.

Signed at Vashington city, in the District of Columbia, this 2d day of October, A. I).

CHARLES S. LABOFISH. \Vitnesses:

C. T. SNYDER, THOS. B. Boss. 

